WEST Devon residents are being asked to make their views known on the idea of building houses on more than 35 suggested sites throughout the borough.

The sites have been rejected during the preparation of the council?s new local plan, under which planners will have to work to during the next ten years.

Chris Dunford, borough forward planning officer, said: ?We have written to ward members and to town and parish councils, pointing out all these sites and basically saying we don?t agree with them, but saying people should have a formal chance to comment on them.

?There are 37 of these sites, scattered from Bere Alston to Highampton. They are all sites which have not been included in the draft local plan and where an objector has suggested they should be included, and therefore available for residential development.?

Mr Dunford said some parishes have chosen to advertise the sites via the parish notice board ? in other areas letters will have been sent to residents in locations which would be affected by the suggested sites.

The new local plan inquiry will be presided over by a government-appointed planning inspector, William Carlow, and begins in Okehampton on January 14.

Mr Dunford stressed the council will continue to fight the extra 37 sites suggested for West Devon at the inquiry.

The inquiry is set to last until April.